


Briefest Respite

by TooBusyWriting



Series: Star Wars Drabbles [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo Needs a Hug, CT-6116 | Kix Needs A Hug, Episode: s07e02 A Distant Echo, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, I know in my heart that they did, Past Torture, Yay! They get to hug each other, screw you filoni for not letting these two interact on screen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28745703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooBusyWriting/pseuds/TooBusyWriting
Summary: “Please, Kix. I’m feeling better than I have since probably before Lola Sayu,” Echo pleaded. “I’ll be fine.”“If I hear you say that one more time, I’ll, I dunno, cry or something,” the medic replied. Echo had said it a handful of times since Rex had returned with him, trying to convince Kix to release him. So far, Kix had held his ground, but, well, Echo’s return had shaken things up for everyone.Echo quirked an eyebrow. “Are you trying to guilt me into staying in the medbay now?”--In which Kix and Echo share a quiet moment in the medbay following the latter's rescue.
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-6116 | Kix
Series: Star Wars Drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2176848
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Briefest Respite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Leandra_Falconwing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leandra_Falconwing/gifts).



> This is also from my 200 Followers Celebration. @leandrafalconwing said: For a word or phrase prompt, how about "If I hear you say that one more time..."  
> I read this and got smacked in the face by Echo and Kix feels, so here you go. Did you know they don't actually interact on-screen? Here's me saying "screw you Filoni" about that and the fact that Kix is supposedly already in cryo at this time

“Please, Kix. I’m feeling better than I have since probably before Lola Sayu,” Echo pleaded. “I’ll be fine.”

“If I hear you say that one more time, I’ll, I dunno, cry or something,” the medic replied. Echo had said it a handful of times since Rex had returned with him, trying to convince Kix to release him. So far, Kix had held his ground, but, well, Echo’s return had shaken things up for everyone.

Echo quirked an eyebrow. “Are you trying to guilt me into staying in the medbay now?”

“Is it working?” He tried to smile back and fell short. He shook his head. “I can’t joke about it. We lost you, Echo, and just got you back. I don’t want you getting hurt any more than you already are.”

Echo looked away, eyebrows furrowing. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Kix replied, sidestepping in an attempt to catch his brother’s eye again. “Well, the trying to get out of the medbay part is. The rest isn’t.”

The other man gave half a chuckle, still avoiding eye contact. 

Kix gave up on that and sat next to him, to his right. He stayed still, watching his brother out of the corner of his eye silently. The only sounds came from the beeping of heart monitors, the clanging of minor supplies, and the few conversations from other patients and visitors. 

The ARC was too stiff. "Can I put my arm around your back?" Kix asked softly.

Echo hesitated before nodding. "Carefully," he whispered.

Kix gently wrapped his left arm around the ARC, resting his hand on his left shoulder. He tried to avoid touching his spine more than necessary, but the hold didn't work well for that. Echo stiffened at the touch, but relaxed after a moment where Kix lightened the pressure as much he could while keeping a firm grip. 

Slowly, Kix put his other arm around his brother, drawing him closer into a hug. Echo leaned into it, shifted, and dropped his head onto the medic's shoulder. He rubbed circles into Echo's shoulder with his thumb, reflecting on the situation. 

He wished there was more he could do. The team of medics had already started treating the malnourishment and side-effects of long-term cryo. They'd set up a PT schedule to help him get used to the cybernetics properly. They'd even managed to take off what they could of the Techno Union's "enhancements." Just thinking about what those sleemos had done to his brother left a bad taste in his mouth. He was pretty sure what Echo had told them when he’d first returned barely scratched the surface, not wanting to delve into details more than necessary. Kix couldn’t blame him.

_The Techno Union is neutral, my eye,_ he thought. 

And if he couldn't treat the mental side-effects as completely as the physical ones, well, that wasn't going to stop him from trying. Every day longer the war lasted, the more he wished they had access to what the Senate believed they didn’t need. Kriffing Kaminoans.

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" he asked, just loud enough for Echo to hear. "Anything to make it seem less like there?"

Force knew Kamino gave too many brothers bad memories and reactions to medbays. The medics tried their best to combat that, aided by the fact that facilities on Kamino looked nothing like the ones on the ships or barracks on Coruscant. Before, Echo hadn’t been too affected by such things, but now, oh, now, Kix had no doubt Skako Minor had changed that.

Echo shook his head slightly. "This — the touching — helps. Reminds me 'm here now. Can't remember much 'bout the medical facilities there other than bright lights and pain, either. Still know the layout ‘cause of the whole…yeah. The rest of the place disregarding that, though..."

Oh, Echo.

Kix risked gripping his shoulder tighter. Echo didn't pull away. 

"Wish the others could be here," his brother mumbled into his shoulder. 

The others. Others, here and gone. There were too many people who could be counted in the “others” now. Echo's batchmates, past Torrent members he might not know died yet, ones he did know died. Current members of Torrent he did know. Perhaps Commander Cody, he'd met him and Rex at the same time, hadn't he? Jesse, on shift in the hangar. Rex, meeting with the generals. _Fives_.

"Guess you're stuck here with me for now," he said instead. 

"'M okay with that. For now," came the reply.

"If you're going to try to sneak out, do me the courtesy of waiting until Coric takes over my shift, okay?"

That got a laugh. "Okay."

"I'll hold you to it."

"I know, Kix. You always do."

Kix rested his cheek on Echo's forehead. "Missed you, vod'ika. Glad to have you back."

Echo threw his flesh arm around the medic's side and pressed himself closer. "Missed you, too, baar'ur'ika. Missed you, too." 

**Author's Note:**

> Vod'ika: Dear brother  
> Baar'ur'ika: Baar'ur is medic. 'ika is an affectionate diminutive
> 
> I almost ended this on a sadder note so you're welcome

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Parting Ways](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29314044) by [Elendiliel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elendiliel/pseuds/Elendiliel)




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